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Description: The April 2010 issue of State Magazine, published by the U.S. Department of State in Washington, DC, features a special report on the department’s green efforts; a Habitat for Humanity project in T...

The April 2010 issue of State Magazine, published by the U.S. Department of State in Washington, DC, features a special report on the department’s green efforts; a Habitat for Humanity project in Thailand; and Skopje, Macedonia as our Post of the Month!

Presidential Management Fellows and Career Entry Program Opportunities
The Presidential Management Fellows and Career Entry Programs are the two leading training and development programs for Civil Service entry into the State Department. More than 100 employees entered the Department under these programs during the past calendar year. These programs, and the employees they bring, are a tremendous asset as we, like our sister federal agencies, face a wave of retirements due to the aging of baby boomers. Approximately 17 percent of the Department’s work-force is currently eligible to retire. In 5 years, that number will increase to 34 percent, and in 10 years, nearly half of the current work-force will be retirement eligible. The two-year PMF Program, administered by the Office of Personnel Management, is designed to attract to the Federal service outstanding graduate students from a variety of academic disciplines and career paths who have a clear interest in and commitment to excellence in the leadership and management of public policies and programs. State possesses one of the most sought-after PMF programs among agencies. More than 65 percent of each PMF finalist class applies for DOS positions each year. The CEP is a two-year structured developmental program designed by the Department to attract exceptional men and women in professional mission critical occupations. Participants who complete required training and rotational assignments may be non-competitively converted into career conditional positions after two years. Applications are accepted in January and July each year. Once these top-notch recruits are on board, the program managers work with their supervisors to do everything possible to ensure that participants have the training and mentoring they need to succeed. For example: • he Career Development Division in the Office of Civil T Service Human Resource Management offers a monthly speaker series for program participants on the second Tuesday of every month. Speakers offer advice on working in the public sector and, more specifically, in the Department. These topics include leadership, performance management, Diplomacy Fellows Program, interagency connections (DOD, OMB, etc.), rotational spotlights and inside an embassy. • Developmental opportunities are key to the PMF and CE programs, providing participants unique opportunities to improve specific skills and broaden their knowledge. Rotations can be overseas or domestic. Recent rotation opportunities have included Deputy Secretary Jacob Lew’s office and the White House office on the G-20 Summit. We all have a role to play in helping these promising newcomers: PMFs and CEPs should strive to take full advantage of the opportunities offered; supervisors should actively support their development and education; and all who work with them can share their knowledge and experience. That’s what leadership is all about. To learn more about the PMF Program, please contact Alison Barg in HR/CSHRM: BargAM@state.gov. For further information about the CEP, please contact Lana Chung at ChungLW@state.gov. If you have any general comments or suggestions, including topics you would like to see addressed in this column, please feel free to send them to me via unclassified e-mail at DG Direct. n

Nancy J. Powell Director General

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Letters

What About the Specialists?
I hope you read Daniel Hirsch’s article in the December Foreign Service Journal about elitism in the Foreign Service. Even after being retired five years, it still bothers me when I see “FSO” used in your magazine in place of “Foreign Service member” or “Foreign Service employee.” One example is in the first few paragraphs of the article “Money-Saver” in your February issue. It’s not only FSOs who take training at the Foreign Service Institute. Specialists receive training also. So why didn’t the author say, “The PCS Lodging Program was developed with the Foreign Service in mind?” I noticed this use of terminology in State Magazine repeatedly during my 16 years as a specialist, and it bothered me every time. It made me feel like we specialists didn’t really count. I only regret that I didn’t complain much earlier.
Sorry to add to the list of politically incorrect words and terms that should be weeded out, but I’m sure I’m not the only active/ retired specialist who feels this way. Susan Pratt Retired Foreign Service specialist cutting your articles out and saving them for future reference. Thanks for the effort you put into those articles. Molly Fayen Management Officer Consulate General Ciudad Juarez of human-interest content. I must say it’s even educational! Allan L. Gruer Colonel , U.S. Air Force (Ret) Alexandria, Va.

Good Columns
To: John Robinson, S/OCR In case you never get any feedback, I just wanted to let you know that I think your columns in State Magazine are the best. They are timely, realistic and practical. It’s information I can use. You write in a way that is real—direct and not stuffy. As a result, I feel you are somebody approachable, someone I could use as a consultant if I needed one. I realized when I read this past issue that I should have been

High-Quality Effort
I have been a reader of State Magazine for decades as spouse to a retired Department of State employee, Rose M. Gruer, formerly of the Office of Medical Services. As the recipients of numerous publications, we must congratulate you and your staff on the professional quality of State Magazine. We look forward to receiving this informative and pleasant-to-read document. Throughout, it shows an exceptionally high quality in writing, photography and selection

Wrong Date
The brief story “Department Takes Role in 2010 Shanghai World Expo” (State Magazine, November 2009) said the Eiffel Tower was introduced in 1900. In fact, it was built for the International Exhibition of Paris in 1889. The organizers of the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893 were looking for something to rival the Eiffel Tower when they decided to build the Ferris Wheel. Virgil Bodeen Retired Foreign Service officer

Talk to Us
Via E-mail: statemagazine@ state.gov

Letters should not exceed 250 words and should include the writer’s name, address and daytime phone number. All letters become the property of State Magazine. Letters will be edited for length, accuracy and clarity. Only signed letters will be considered.

Phone: (202) 203-7118

Fax: (202) 203-7142

Mailing Address: 301 4th Street, SW, Room 348, Washington, DC 20547

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News

Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield reads to the Mamba Point children.

Missions Celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day
To celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day, volunteers from the U.S. Mission in Coté d’Ivoire engaged in a volunteer community service project, and the U.S. ambassador to Liberia went to Monrovia’s Mamba Point neighborhood to read children’s books with civil rights themes to more than 50 children, ages 3 to 12. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield read three stories, and the children said they most liked The Story of Ruby Bridges, the adventures of a six-year-old girl who in 1960 was escorted by U.S. marshals to attend an all-white school in New Orleans. The Liberian children said they admired Ruby’s courage. The U.S. Embassy in Monrovia each month invites staff to read to children living in the neighborhood of its compound, aiming to promote reading and give Americans and Liberian children a chance to get to know one another. The children arrive promptly at 6 p.m. for their reading hour, or sometimes for a children’s movie, and many know embassy staff members by their first names. Meanwhile in Coté d’Ivoire, more than 50 volunteers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and U.S. Agency for International Development on Jan. 18 painted the exterior of an outpatient services building on the campus of Centre Hospitalier Universitaire. The building adjoins a laboratory of the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. Ivoirian and American staffers donated all of the paint and labor involved. The volunteers included Ambassador Wanda Nesbitt, Deputy Chief of Mission Julia Stanley, USAID Director Felix Awantang and CDC Directors Dr. Anna Likos and James Ham. The volunteers were thanked by the director of the hospital, which can care for 600 patients.

Embassy Establishes Mothers’ Room
The U.S. Embassy in Seoul has continued its commitment to working families by dedicating a private space for

working mothers to express their breast milk. According to the National Institutes of Health, breast milk contains the right balance of nutrients to help an infant grow into a strong and healthy toddler and may help protect the infant from some common childhood illnesses and protect the mother from certain types of cancer. Supporting nursing mothers in the workplace is family friendly, improves

morale and reduces absenteeism and turnover. The post’s health unit previously allowed women to express breast milk in a patient examination room, but after collaborating with eight nursing mothers, the management section created a lactation room where the women would have privacy, cleanliness and convenience. Ambassador Kathleen Stephens spoke at the November 2009 opening of the Mothers’ Room,

emphasizing the importance of sustaining Department families and sharing her experience of returning to work from maternity leave. “I was extremely grateful to our management, with the support of the front office, for setting up this clean and convenient facility,” said Political Officer Rachael Mueller. “It really helped to be able to concentrate on my work, knowing that I could still provide milk for my baby.”

Albania Holds Art Contest for Youth

In late January, the U.S. Embassy in Tirana hosted a nationwide art contest for youth, titled Respect and Diversity Through Art. More than 350 entries were submitted by young Albanian artists, who provided their visual interpretations of Albania’s history and culture of religious tolerance and diversity using collages, oil paints, crayon, recycled materials, watercolors and other media. The works were judged based on creativity, originality and uniqueness. Judges included American and Locally Employed Staff, family members and Albanian community members, including a published author and professional artist. The 21 student winners received certificates signed by Ambassador John L. Withers II, books on U.S. culture or history, an embassy tour—where they were photographed with the Marine Security Guards—and a tour of the Art in Embassies collection at the ambassador’s residence (shown at left). Several winning entries were added to the permanent Art in Embassies collection and displayed in high-traffic areas of the embassy.
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News

Kathy Hallett, left, takes a break from sight-seeing with her daughter, Stephanie.

State Magazine (ISSN 1099–4165) is published monthly, except bimonthly in July and August, by the U.S. Department of State, 2201 C St., N.W., Washington, DC. Periodicals postage paid at Washington, D.C., and at additional mailing locations.

Mom Follows Daughter into Foreign Service
Some children of Foreign Service officers follow in their parents’ footsteps, becoming FSOs themselves, but few parents follow their children into that career. However, in July 2009 Kathy Hallett became a Foreign Service specialist—a job her FSO daughter says is a perfect fit for her mom’s professional expertise. Her mother’s first assignment is at the U.S. Embassy in Sana’a, where she is the assistant general services officer. “It’s great that she landed in the Near Eastern Affairs Bureau,” said daughter Stephanie Hallett, who is also in NEA as a political officer in the Office of Iranian Affairs. “I’m so proud of her.” Kathy Hallett said she was inspired to join the Foreign Service because of her daughter’s career with the State Department, first as a Civil Service employee and now as an FSO. “But more than anything, I saw it as a great way to serve my country.”

State Magazine is available by paid subscription through the U.S. Government Printing Office by telephone at (202) 512-1800 or on the Web at http://bookstore.gpo.gov.

Subscriptions

For details on submitting articles to State Magazine, request our guidelines, “Getting Your Story Told,” by e-mail at statemagazine@state.gov; download them from our Web site at www.state.gov; or send your request in writing to State Magazine, 301 4th Street, S.W., SA-44, Room 348, Washington, DC 20547.

Submissions

The submission deadline for the June 2010 issue is April 15. The deadline for the July/August issue is May 15.

Deadlines

State Magazine is printed in the USA using soy-based inks on recycled paper that contains 10% post-consumer waste and is SFI-certified.

Environmental Notes

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The mission of the Office of Civil Rights is promoting equity, fairness and inclusion. However, our office, like others, has been likely to overlook the “T” in the acronym LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered). So we decided to take a closer look at transgender issues and hopefully reduce some of your hesitation to even mention what for many is a taboo topic. Statistically, in a random group of 5,000 adults, there are at least four people who have undergone sexual reassignment surgery and as many as 75 people who fall under the “transgender” umbrella (conservatively estimated at 1.5 percent of the population). If the population of Department of State employees fits the norm, then there are approximately 375 transgendered persons currently working at the Department. These numbers surprised even the Office of Civil Rights. In September 2008, a federal district court found that the U.S. government had discriminated against a transgendered individual on the basis of sex. According to the record, after Dave Schroer retired from the military, he applied for a job at the Library of Congress. Court records show that Schroer, then a male, took his future boss to lunch to outline his sexual transition, as he planned to present himself as a female on his first day of the job. The next day, the job offer was rescinded, and Schroer was told that he wasn’t a “good fit” for the library. The ruling in favor of Schroer was an important victory for transgendered persons who claim bias in the workplace—but the struggles of the transgender population haven’t always ended so successfully, and their struggle for equal rights has really only just begun. The acronym LGBT, first developed in the 1990s, was designed to encompass a variety of sexual orientations and identities. Today, it loosely describes affairs dealing with sexual orientation. Although “transgender” clearly implies sexual identity and arguably not sexual orientation, it is being overlooked. Fast forward to 2010, when President Obama named Amanda Simpson, believed to be America’s first openly transgender presidential appointee, as senior technical advisor in the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and

Diversity Notes

Transgender Issues at the Department of State
Security. This appointment represents meaningful progress for the LGBT community—in particular, transgendered Americans who have faced significant and well-documented discrimination in the workplace. One State Department transgendered employee, when asked to describe the journey to realizing her true identity, told us that prior to her male-tofemale sex reassignment she was in denial for many years and actually joined the Marine Corps and married. She hoped that when she settled into the male role, her identity struggle would settle, too. “But it still tore at me deep down inside,” she recounted. “People are brought up to think only male or only female….There’s that dichotomy and nothing is accepted in between or outside of that norm.” The ease with which we have become accustomed to employing generalized terms to address a variety of sexual orientations and gender identities is problematic. It must be changed if we are to respectfully, appropriately and successfully integrate transgendered persons into the pool of accepted identities in today’s society and workplace. We can become a safe and accepting environment in which transgendered persons can make themselves known. We need to understand, however, that transgendered persons may not want to share information on their transition with you or others, so respect their privacy. When the Department employee was asked what she might say if given the opportunity to address the entire work force, she offered simply this: “There are people who are different. [But] maybe instead of focusing on what separates us, we should focus on what brings us together. Maybe then we’d realize how much alike we really are. In that essence, I’m not much unlike anyone else.” n

John M. Robinson Office of Civil Rights

April 2010

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Green Cutting Edge
As State Magazine celebrates this month’s Earth Day with its annual “green issue,” a theme emerges: Being environmentally responsible is being technologically cutting edge. It means using social media such as The Sounding Board to evaluate ideas as a Department-wide community. It means using solar cells on rooftops to power embassies and reflect the United States’ environmental commitment. It means deploying energyefficient information technology like “thin client” computer workstations and producing a “users manual” full of tips and tricks for posts seeking to go green. Going green means simple actions like recycling plastic bottles, but it also means a green cutting edge of the Department’s best thinking and technology—which we highlight in the following stories.

The

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Greening IT
Can you guess which Department of State bureau consumes the most electricity? It’s the Information Resource Management Bureau. Last year, in the Harry S Truman Building alone, IRM consumed a whopping 63,265,265 kilowatt-hours— half the building’s power load or enough to power 7,110 U.S. households for an entire year. As a large energy user, IRM has great potential to lower its consumption. To help achieve this goal, IRM divisions are working together on initiatives such as green purchasing, server virtualization, “thin client” deployments and desktop power management. IRM buys IT equipment with an eye toward energy efficiency. IRM’s main purchasing group procures only equipment that meets the latest Energy Star standards and Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool criteria. This tool allows purchasers to evaluate and select desktop computers, notebooks and monitors based on their environmental attributes. EPEAT evaluates products on 51 criteria and gives them three different ratings of environmental performance. In fiscal 2009, all workstations purchased met the EPEAT silver or gold standards, the two highest ratings, including 12,820 EPEAT gold desktops, 13,932 EPEAT gold monitors and 1,592 EPEAT silver monitors.

Bureau cuts energy use—one computer at a time /// By Barbara C. Kuehn
consolidated this year in IRM’s data centers, bringing the total number of servers virtualized to 725. As a result, the Department is expected to save 4.76 million kilowatthours of electricity and reduce its carbon emissions by 3,195 tons annually. IRM plans to expand its server virtualization efforts to overseas embassies and consulates during the next fiscal year. Though data centers receive a lot of attention due to their large concentration of equipment, the greatest proportion of the Department’s IT-related power load is actually due to personal computers and monitors. In response, IRM began deploying more energy-efficient workstations in 2006. First launched on the classified system, streamlined thin client user workstations consume anywhere from 6 to 30 watts per hour—far less than the 150 to 350 watts consumed by a traditional PC. Since thin clients are smaller and have fewer components than a PC, they produce less e-waste. Without moving parts, fans or hard drives, thin clients have a smaller environmental footprint and there is less to dispose of when their useful lives end.

Centers Consolidate
To help tackle the increasing power demands of its data centers, IRM is improving efficiencies through data center consolidation and server virtualization. Through virtualization, several servers with different applications are consolidated onto one large physical server. End users see no difference in performance; however, the amount of IT equipment needed in the data center is dramatically reduced. During this fiscal year, IRM will roll out the Blade System Matrix Server platform, which provides improved data processing capabilities and enhanced power management. Since blade servers share common power supplies, cooling fans and other components, they consume approximately 35 percent less power than the equivalent rack-mounted servers. An additional 144 servers will be

Cardboard packaging crates for computers are made of recycled materials and weigh 32 pounds less than wooden crates.

power. By using a PC’s power management capabilities such as sleep, hibernate and shutdown modes, the Department could increase energy savings by more than 35 percent annually, according to conservative estimates. In fact, a number of overseas posts have already implemented power management and gained impressive results. IRM’s ultimate goal is to enable computers that have been shut down to automatically “wake up” so that scheduled maintenance can occur without disrupting work activities. In the future, while you’re sleeping at home, your PC at work will also be sleeping— and saving energy. As technology demands and environmental concerns intersect, each day brings an opportunity to rethink old behaviors. As the Department prepares to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Earth Day on April 22, IRM aims to continue reducing its environmental impact through green and sustainable solutions. By making the right choices now we can help preserve the environment for generations to come. The author is the overseas operations manager for IRM’s Global Information Technology Management Program.

In this fiscal year, IRM will replace an additional 2,212 PCs with thin clients, bringing the total number deployed to 8,187. The Department is expected to save 630,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity and reduce its carbon dioxide emissions by 422.7 tons annually as a result. Plans are under way to begin adding thin client workstations to the unclassified network in fiscal 2011.

stances, a common way to reduce energy consumption is by shifting PCs to a lower power state when not in use. Employees use their PCs only about 40 hours a week—just 24 percent of the hours in a week. This means that 76 percent of the time, a PC does not need to run at full

Traditional Needs
Some applications, however, still require traditional PCs. In those in-

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Green Team
The Sounding Board gathers green ideas /// By Kerry O’Connor
The Sounding Board has teamed with the Greening Diplomacy Initiative. Linked to the GDI intranet site, The Sounding Board provides a focal point for employees’ green proposals and discussion. Employees’ green ideas are the fourth most popular category on The Sounding Board. Employees have submitted 96 such ideas, and in subsequent discussions the community builds upon those ideas, shares perspectives and best practices, and generates inspiration. Through The Sounding Board, the bureaus can provide feedback to the community on ideas in the works, under consideration or completed. Among the most dynamic recent green conversations was one surrounding the suggestion to use “gain-sharing” to provide an incentive to reduce overseas residential energy consumption. This would allow individuals and posts to benefit directly from reductions in overseas residential utility bills (which the Department pays).

Many Thoughts
Some contributors expressed concern about the complications and administrative overhead of a gain-sharing program versus a more generic incentives program. Some posts shared their experiences with implementing mandatory measures, while others weighed the benefit of simply monitoring and communicating energy consumption rates. The U.S. embassies in Djibouti and Manila shared how they implemented programs to save energy in employees’ homes. Speaking of a gain-sharing program at the U.S. Embassy in Manila in 2007, the

post’s former management counselor, Catherine Ebert-Gray, said that, “Within a year, we generated savings of more than $80,000 and celebrated by replacing a 25-year-old bus with a new one.” Another idea generating lots of buzz on The Sounding Board is to replace traditional gasoline-powered vehicles in a post’s motor pool with an all-hybrid or all-electric motor pool. Some employees said the environmental cost of producing a new vehicle could offset the gains of prematurely switching to a hybrid or electric vehicle, but the consensus was that replacement at the end of the vehicle’s life cycle would be prudent. Some noted the challenges of servicing hybrid and electric vehicles in less-developed countries, but others said the only major difference is the battery pack and electric motor, which typically last

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PHOTOGRAPHS: ?????; (OPPOSITE PAGE): ????

much longer than the Department keeps the vehicles. The Motor Vehicle Branch stated its support for moving toward hybrid vehicles and noted that a 2009 survey indicated 41 posts where vehicles could be serviced, with available parts and good roads.

Working Group
A GDI Employees Idea Working Group was established and meets regularly to determine whether ideas meet GDI goals and are viable. If the answer is yes to both questions, a team member will research the idea further with bureau experts and communicate back to The Sounding Board and the GDI Communications Team. The GDI Employees Idea Working Group has evaluated some ideas that originated with The Sounding Board and others that predate it but are echoed in employee conversations. For example, an idea to reduce printer ink use by changing the background color of Department Notices originated on The Sounding Board. The background color was subsequently changed from deep blue to white. Other ideas, such as getting rid of Styrofoam cups in the cafeteria, mirrored efforts already started by the cafeteria patrons’ committee and the Bureau of Administration’s environmental group. The Sounding Board, in this case, provided a more efficient way of gaining widespread support for and gauging employee interest in the idea. The Bureau of Administration has incorporated “greening” initiatives in the new cafeteria concession contract and communicated this to The Sounding Board community.

Here’s how some other green ideas stack up: Done—Promote biking to work by providing free showers in the Harry S Truman building. Three men’s and three women’s shower stalls are now available in the building’s parking garage. They are available on a first-come, first-served basis and involve no fees. Done—Provide an option to eliminate paper statements for U.S. government credit cards. The Global Financial Center in Charleston, S.C., now provides the option for individually billed travel cards. In the works—Green roof gardens for Main State. Three years ago, the Department asked the design firm working on the Harry S Truman building renovation to consider including a green roof as part of the design. The new D Street entrance will have a roof covered with plants, reducing the storm-water runoff entering the sewage system and providing other benefits.

Under consideration—Reserved parking for carpoolers or those driving a hybrid. As part of the GDI, the Bureau of Administration is exploring implementing a new parking category and separate allotment specifically for hybrids. The bureau hopes this program will launch during parking open season 2010–2011. Employees can contribute stories and best practices to the GDI Web site, http://m.state.sbu/sites/pri/GDI/Pages/ Home.aspx, or submit new green ideas to The Sounding Board at http://sounding board.state.gov. Those interested in joining the GDI Employee Ideas Team, volunteering to champion a green idea or helping with The Sounding Board should e-mail SoundingBoard@state.gov. The author is the program manager at The Sounding Board.

April 2010

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Green League
U.S. posts pledge environmental awareness /// By Michal Ilewski
Every day is Earth Day to a group of U.S. embassies that has formally committed to protecting the environment and leading the way in eco-diplomacy. Established in 2007 by U.S. Ambassador to Sweden Michael Wood, the League of Green Embassies initially included a handful of European posts wanting to use environmentally friendly, or “green,” practices. Today, the League numbers more than 30 U.S. embassies and extends beyond Europe to Abu Dhabi and Kathmandu. The Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations partners with the League and other missions to implement green practices. OBO created the Green Guide for Embassy and Consulate Operations, which suggests programs and products to achieve energy conservation in areas such as energy, transportation, water, site, materials and the indoor environment. One simple step for a post to implement green practices is to switch to energyefficient lightbulbs. Replacing incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent lights substantially reduces energy consumption in an office environment. After replacing all of its incandescent lighting, the U.S. Embassy in London reported an energy savings of approximately 80 percent per lighting fixture. To further reduce consumption, embassies are installing motion sensors and implementing automatic shut-off for computers during non-work hours.

Transportation Efficiency
A motor pool contributes a substantial part of a post’s greenhouse gas emissions. The Green Guide provides suggestions on implementing a carpool program and encouraging staff to use public transportation. Several League members have implemented alternative transportation programs. The U.S. Embassy in Copenhagen went further, allowing employees to sign out bicycles to

attend local events and meetings. The U.S. Embassy in Zagreb offers a mileage allowance or reimburses employees for public transportation tickets purchased for official business. Aiming to maximize efficient use of agency vehicles and reduce maintenance and operating costs, posts are also downsizing their motor pools and turning to more energy-efficient vehicles. The U.S. embassies in Lisbon and Warsaw have replaced some of their gas- and diesel-powered vehicles with hybrids. With the increasing demand for fresh water worldwide, many U.S. missions have identified alternative water sources and have developed efficient water-saving technologies. Many posts, such as the U.S. Embassy in Helsinki, take monthly water meter readings, which allow them to accurately monitor use and identify conservation strategies. Installing water-efficient restroom fixtures such as dual-flush toilets, waterless urinals and automatic shut-off faucets can also provide water savings. The U.S. Embassy in London saves approximately 160,000 gallons of water a month with 52 waterless urinals.

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PHOTOGRAPHS: OVERSEAS BUILDINGS OPERATIONS

Clockwise from top: The U.S. Embassy in Abu Dhabi, right, is notable for its water-conserving garden; OBO’s Green Guide reflects its Department of State connection; and the U.S. Embassy in Kathmandu, Nepal, below, is a member of the Green League of Embassies.

Others means of conserving water include rainwater catchment systems and using treated wastewater for landscape irrigation. OBO designed a “constructed wetland” system in which processed wastewater is used to water landscape plants and bushes at the U.S. Embassy in Abu Dhabi. Also, the post’s chancery is constructed so that rain falling on the roof cascades down to a garden and percolates back into the ground.

Sustainable Landscapes
Sustainable site practices in landscaping not only benefit the environment but also

reduce operations costs. Extensive landscaping within the compound and along the walkways at the U.S. mission in Abu Dhabi helps lower the post’s temperature. Other posts plant drought-resistant grasses and trees, reducing the need for fertilization and irrigation. Many U.S. embassies actively manage their waste and properly dispose of materials. Many of the League’s members, such as U.S. embassies in Warsaw and Sofia, have extensive recycling programs at the compound and residences for glass, paper, plastics, metals and a variety of other materials. The U.S. embassies in Brussels

and Helsinki even recycle used governmentowned cell phones. The League of Green Embassies encourages other posts to apply green measures and is expanding into other geographic regions. With the Green Guide, posts implement projects that can save money and conserve natural resources. Together, the League of Green Embassies and the Green Guide demonstrate the United States’ commitment to green diplomacy. The author, an intern at the U.S. Embassy in Warsaw in the summer of 2009, is currently a student at the University of Virginia.

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Sunny Forecast
OBO installs solar panels for clean energy /// By David R. Shaffer
In recognition of the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations is focusing on the design and installation of photovoltaic systems, better known as solar panels. Photovoltaic systems have become OBO’s most universally deployed renewable technology, cutting operating costs, reducing fossilfuel-based sources of energy and expanding reliance on clean renewable energy. Overall, the use of photovoltaic systems reduces the Department’s carbon footprint and shows that the United States government is committed to environmentalism. Photovoltaic technology is also a clean way to provide supplemental power to U.S. diplomatic facilities. Photovoltaic electricity is produced when sunlight excites the electrons in the silicon-based panels. Solar panels require only the sun and an appropriate location. Other renewable technologies, such as wind turbines or ground-source heat pumps, require more intense site-specific studies to determine their potential effectiveness. For OBO to consider a post for a photovoltaic installation, the project must reduce electric costs to pay for itself within 10 years. Currently, completed projects are paying for themselves within seven years. Based on installing current technology, a 10-year payback can be achieved with the right solar conditions and if the post’s utility rates are greater than 24 cents per kilowatt-hour. Many of the Department’s overseas facilities often experience utility costs that meet or exceed these rates. Posts that must produce some or all of their own power pay a high price for the diesel fuel used in generators. OBO is focusing on these posts because photovoltaic technology can reduce the need for using generators and cut a post’s dependence on the host nation’s resources. The governments of some of the European nations that are not constructing new power plants subsidize electricity customers that install photovoltaics, and some utility companies pay their customers a preferential credit for the power they produce using renewable sources. For example, the electricity produced by the solar installation at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations building in Geneva, Switzerland, is credited to the mission by the utility company at five and a half times the normal cost the mission pays for grid-produced electricity. These incentives greatly accelerate a photovoltaic system’s payback period. OBO prefers to install solid-panel solar arrays, such as the monocrystalline and polycrystalline types, due to their higher efficiency and durability. Solid-panel arrays can be used on roofs or in building-integrated applications. OBO connects them directly to the facility’s electrical system,

Photovoltaic panel installation at the U.S. Embassy in Kigali.

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PHOTOGRAPH: OVERSEAS BUILDINGS OPERATIONS

linking them to the regional electrical grid. The use of battery-based systems, which would provide a way to store excess power, is discouraged because of their maintenance requirements and the negative environmental impact of battery disposal. Every OBO-initiated photovoltaic system includes a presentation screen in the main lobby of the facility that shows the photoelectric process, the power generated in kilowatts and the reduction in the carbon footprint achieved by avoiding fossil-fuelbased power. OBO photovoltaic installations overseas are producing 450 kilowatts annually, equivalent to powering more than 200 average homes. Systems are located in Geneva, Switzerland; Abuja, Nigeria; and Kigali, Rwanda. OBO is constructing photovoltaic systems on the embassy parking structure in Athens, Greece, and on support facilities in Rangoon, Burma. A number of installations are planned for new embassy compounds to be built in Monrovia, Liberia; Bujumbura, Burundi; Dakar, Senegal; and Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. OBO’s photovoltaic program is one of several sustainability programs making significant strides toward achieving the Department’s goal of energy conservation by increasing the use of renewable energy, reducing operating expenses and decreasing greenhouse gas emissions. As the United States recognizes the four decades of environmental protection since the first Earth Day, OBO will continue to do its part by installing photovoltaic systems and other technologies for energy, water and carbon conservation. n Certified Energy Manager David R. Shaffer is an electrical engineer in OBO’s Office of Design Engineering.

Unified Response
Department advisors help DOD bring Haiti relief
/// By Ambassador Paul Trivelli and Kimberly Shaw
When the 7.0-magnitude earthquake struck Haiti on Jan. 12, the U.S. Southern Command, the Department of Defense command encompassing Latin America and the Caribbean, implemented a “whole of government” approach involving close integration with its on-site advisers from the Department of State and U.S. Agency for International Development. Upon hearing of the disaster, General Doug Fraser, USSOUTHCOM’s commander, began working with senior State Department and USAID officials. In Haiti, USSOUTHCOM’s Military Deputy Commander Lieutenant General P.K. “Ken” Keen coordinated the work of Operation Unified Response and Joint Task Force Haiti with the efforts of embassy staff, USAID, the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti and the international assistance community. The wide scope of the Haitian humanitarian crisis reflects how the security challenges facing the Americas are not traditional defense threats but such challenges as crime, gangs and natural disasters— crises that can destabilize nations. Such challenges call for integration of the U.S. government’s diplomacy, development and defense efforts.

Significant Role
USSOUTHCOM gives a significant role to its State Department and USAID advisors. At USSOUTHCOM headquarters in Miami, there are three Department officers, including an ambassador serving as chief foreign policy advisor and civilian deputy to the commander. Foreign policy advisors, formerly known as “Polads” and now called “FPAs,” are senior officers assigned by the Department to major military commands to provide diplomatic advice and act as liaisons between the command and the State Department. FPAs also serve at USSOUTHCOM’s subordinate Joint Interagency Task Force-South and at three of USSOUTHCOM’s five component commands. In addition, USSOUTHCOM’s headquarters has two representatives from USAID and the Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance.

A member of the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Disaster Assistance Response Team looks on as humanitarian relief supplies arrive in Portau-Prince as part of Operation Unified Response.

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PHOTOGRAPHS: DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Above: U.S. Navy chaplain Lt. Marlin Williams holds an injured Haitian girl while awaiting a military helicopter for transport to further medical assistance. Top right: From left, Major General Floriano Peixoto, Brazilian commander of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti, speaks with Lt. General Ken Keen and Air Force Gen. Douglas Fraser in Port-au-Prince. Bottom: Combat controllers from the 23rd Special Tactics Squadron at Hurlburt Field, Fla., talk to aircraft circling the Toussaint L´Ouverture International Airport in Port-au-Prince.

Key Insights
These State Department and USAID representatives provided key diplomatic and regional insight to U.S. military commanders in the U.S. response to the Haitian disaster. Shortly after the earthquake, three FPAs worked directly with USSOUTHCOM commanders in Haiti. The State Department and USAID also sent USSOUTHCOM headquarters additional staff to augment its focus on long-term relief planning and coordination. This staff—two representatives from the Department’s Office of the Coordinator for Reconstruction and Stabilization, plus four USAID officers—proved invaluable in shaping U.S. military support to the U.S. government’s Haiti relief efforts. FPAs participated directly in operational planning working groups, drafted reports and sorted out international demands for flights into Port-au-Prince’s crowded airport. They were also the voice of USSOUTHCOM on numerous interagency conference calls. Since the beginning of the crisis, USSOUTHCOM has worked with USAID and the Department of State to integrate its relief

missions with the efforts of USAID, OFDA and nongovernmental organizations. At the start of Operation Unified Response, the U.S. military rapidly mobilized its personnel and logistical know-how, quickly reopening Port-au-Prince’s damaged international airport and seaport. Military aircraft evacuated more than 16,000 American citizens, delivered more than 17 million of pounds of vital supplies and provided medical evacuation to hundreds of victims. The U.S. government’s unified response to the Haiti earthquake arose from the strong relationships developed between U.S. agencies well before the crisis. As the United States transitions to providing long-term reconstruction assistance, USSOUTHCOM and its FPAs will continue to work closely with other agency partners, the Haitian people and the international community. n Ambassador Paul Trivelli is an FPA serving as the civilian deputy to the USSOUTHCOM commander. Kimberly Shaw is a special assistant to the USSOUTHCOM commander.
April 2010

A gleaming white minaret is the highlight of the Lascarce Mosque in Skopje.

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Post of the Month
Macedonia. The word evokes images of ancient civilizations, with men in togas and sandals bearing spears and shields. It also evokes modern European history—the emergence and realignment of nations as the Ottoman Empire waned. The geographic region of Macedonia, a natural crossroads, has through the centuries been contested by kingdoms and empires. Today, major portions of historical Macedonia lie within neighboring countries. The Republic of Macedonia is seeking to build upon deep traditions of tolerance, learning and peaceful development. The diverse mix of cultures, religions, languages and geography makes this country appealing to many Americans. Macedonia’s history and culture produce debate within the Balkan region. Many Bulgarians do not view the Macedonian language as distinct from Bulgarian; many Serbians dismiss the independence of the Macedonian Orthodox Church; and—most contentious of all—Greece objects to the country’s name. The dispute with Greece over Macedonia’s constitutional name has hindered its inclusion into EuroAtlantic institutions. Ever since the country declared independence in 1991, Greece has objected to the use of “Macedonia,” resulting in the postponement of Macedonia’s inclusion in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and European Union accession talks. Macedonia continues to be referred to in the United Nations and other international organizations as the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, or FYROM. The United States has officially used Republic of Macedonia since 2004.

Inter-ethnic Strides
Macedonia escaped the war that accompanied the dissolution of the Yugoslavian Federation and remained at peace through the establishment of its independence in 1991. Between March and August 2001, though, an internal conflict erupted between ethnic Albanians and the government. International mediation ended the fighting, with the Ohrid Framework Agreement providing guidelines for broader political and cultural pluralism, diversity and respect for minorities. The United States is among the guarantors of the agreement and continues to aid in its fulfillment. Ethnic Macedonians, who are predominantly Orthodox Christian, make up close to two-thirds of the country’s population. Ethnic Albanians, who are predominantly Muslim, make up a quarter and Roma, Turks, Serbs, Vlachs and others make up smaller percentages. Though inter-ethnic tensions persist, progress is being made. Since independence, every government has been a coalition of ethnic Macedonian and ethnic Albanian political parties, including ministers of several ethnicities.

Top: Hundreds of churches were built around Lake Ohrid. Above: In the fall, the smell of roasted red peppers means residents are preparing ajvar, a tasty spread used on fresh bread. Left: This intricate ceiling is a highlight of the 16th-century Painted Mosque in Tetovo, the largest primarily Albanian city in Macedonia.

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PHOTOGRAPHS: (LEFT): MIKE FRITZ; (OPPOSITE PAGE): ZORAN JOVANOVSKI

Above: In the old Turkish marketplace, visitors can try local cuisine such as kebab chinia or pick up beautiful silver and gold filigree from local artisans. Right: Ambassador Philip Reeker addresses alumni of exchange and training programs at a reception in the atrium of the new chancery.

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The United States actively promotes stronger relationships among all the people of Macedonia. One recent example was a Day of Remembrance for 9/11, when the U.S. Embassy in Skopje partnered with the Skopje Red Cross to hold an inter-faith blood and food drive. Several hundred ethnic Macedonians, ethnic Albanians and members of other communities came together to donate blood, food and money to aid those in need.

Strategic Partnership
Since Macedonia’s independence in 1991, the United States and Macedonia have had a strong bilateral relationship. Macedonia has been a steadfast security partner, sending soldiers to Iraq and Afghanistan. Many of them have received medals for their distinguished service in both theaters. The United States has provided more than a billion dollars to support Macedonia’s transition to a free-market democracy, build civil society and aid progress toward full Euro-Atlantic integration. The assistance has mostly focused on stimulating economic development, improving education, modernizing the military and strengthening rule of law. More than 1,000 Macedonians have attended training, exchange or study programs in the United States in the last 18 years. Several hundred of them celebrated the partnership at a November 2009 alumni reception. Together, Macedonia and the United States are cultivating the leaders of today and tomorrow. Another aspect of bilateral cooperation is working to preserve Macedonia’s rich cultural heritage. Hundreds of 14th- to 16th-century monasteries, mosques, Turkish baths and churches are filled with intricate woodwork, frescoes and architecture. The U.S. Embassy in Skopje has used the Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation to help restore such structures throughout the country. Recently, the embassy also received a large grant to team with the Macedonian Ministry of Culture to preserve and restore the architecture and frescoes of the 13th-century Peribleptos Church in Ohrid. The embassy’s move to new grounds in April 2009 underscored the United States’ enduring commitment to the young country. Today, Ambassador Philip Reeker leads a mission of more than 300 local and U.S. staff representing six agencies and departments.

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PHOTOGRAPHS: MIKE FRITZ; (TOP): ZORAN JOVANOVSKI

Top: Participants in the embassysponsored “Go Pink” walk against breast cancer cross Skopje’s most famous landmark—the 15th-century Stone Bridge that connects the new and old parts of the city. Above: A rainbow arcs across one of the picturesque vineyards that produce excellent table grapes and wines. Many wineries are open for tasting. Right: The city of Struga, on the shores of Lake Ohrid, hosts a poetry festival featuring poets from around the world. They do readings on bridges that cross the River Drim.

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The Pearl of the Balkans
Macedonia’s diverse terrain matches its rich history. Its national parks showcase the country’s beauty. Waterfalls, gorges, canyons, mountains, ski slopes and fields of wildflowers can be seen from well-marked trails. Unmarked paths can be even more exciting, leading to hidden ruins of centuries past, monasteries, wineries and berry patches. Under sapphire blue skies, sheep bells ring over the hills and shepherds carry intricately carved staffs. Spectacular sunsets are mirrored in Lake Ohrid, the Pearl of the Balkans, and a UNESCO World Heritage site. The New York Times listed Lake Ohrid as one of “The 31 Places to Go in 2010.” Surrounded by the mountains of Macedonia and Albania, the lake is sprinkled with blue-bottomed boats, while cobblestone streets, ancient monasteries, an amphitheater and fortress beckon travelers to step back in time. Visitors can view archeology in action throughout Macedonia. In Heraclea and Stobi, hundreds of workers with wheelbarrows, shovels and picks unearth 7th- to 4th-century B.C. artifacts, mosaics and buildings. Visitors walk down the same streets founded by Philip II and later used by the Romans.
KOSOVO

Post of the Month

At a Glance >>> Macedonia
SERBIA BULGARIA

Kumanovo Tetovo Gostivar Skopje Rzanicani

Kriva Palanka Delcevo

Veles

Stip Radovis

Berovo

Kicevo Prilep Lake Ohrid Lake Prespa Bitola
GREECE ALBANIA

Strumica Bosava Lake Doiran

Life in Skopje
Life in Skopje, a city of some 600,000 inhabitants, is laid-back and safe. The embassy’s direct-hire employees and their families enjoy a welcoming atmosphere. They can ride bikes along the Vardar River and stroll through Gradski Park. Mount Vodno, with its 74-meter lighted cross, towers over Skopje and is a 20-minute drive from embassy neighborhoods. Vodno’s trails connect the summit to Lake Matka, a manmade lake cutting into the steep Trska Valley ravine. Rock climbers, hikers and boaters weave through evergreens, caves, secluded monasteries and ruins. Throughout Skopje, open-air markets teem with local produce. Pyramids of tomatoes and red peppers, mountains of cabbage and vats of fresh cheese and olives fill bazaars in every neighborhood. The call to prayer echoes through cobblestone streets as merchants of leather, filigree and baklava beckon customers. Kale, the remains of a fortress dating from Neolithic times and reestablished by various rulers since, looms over the city center, while the 15th-century stone bridge connects the old Turkish town to the modern European center. The sounds of the latest “world music” thump into the morning hours from the trendiest nightclubs. This cacophony of old and new is modern-day Macedonia, with a grip on history and its eyes to the future. n The author is the wife of Ryan Rowlands, public affairs officer at the U.S. Embassy in Skopje. Capital: Skopje
Aegean Sea

Image Enhancer
NGO fair seeks to win friends in Argentina /// By Kathleen M. Corey
Over the past several years, the public approval rating of the United States in Argentina fell below that of most other Western countries, including Venezuela and Cuba. Thus, the number-one goal of the U.S. Embassy in Buenos Aires was to build support for and understanding of U.S. policies and values. To that end, in 2007 then-Ambassador Anthony Wayne came up with the idea for a 2008 fair that would pair worthy Argentine nongovernmental organizations with funding sources. “In a part of the world that all too often views the United States as an unfeeling hegemon, our continuing work with Argentine NGOs, many of them working in critically important areas but struggling for recognition and support, sends a powerful message,” said embassy Public Affairs Officer Robert Howes. A group of embassy and NGO representatives designed and implemented the ambitious plan. The group included the public diplomacy officer, representatives from the American Chamber of Commerce, the directors of two local NGO networks and a Foreign Service National from the public affairs section. select NGOs? How do we convince international companies to participate? How do we engage the more well-known NGOs as partners?” Convincing Argentines to attend the fair was not at all difficult, and the personal invitation sent by the ambassador was a plus. The planning team selected 95 NGOs from across Argentina, representing various social sectors. All were considered second-tier NGOs that would benefit from meeting funding sources and networking. The American Chamber of Commerce brought to the fair representatives of 30 U.S. companies represented in Argentina, and local embassies recruited top-tier international and local NGOs and international donor agencies, such as the Inter-American Foundation and Avina. At the fair, Argentina’s minister of labor spoke of the importance of strengthening ties between the public and private sectors. Media coverage, including broadcast and Internet, reached more than 10 million Argentines.

Fair Coming
The U.S. Embassy in Buenos Aires is now planning the 2010 NGO fair, to include a keynote American speaker and sessions on such topics as “Developing Your NGO” and “Strategies for Dealing with the Economic Crisis.” Networking will take place in a room set up with tables, each hosted by a company, donor aid group, foundation or successful NGO. NGO participants will

go from table to table. CEO participants will later attend a cocktail reception with the ambassador and minister of labor. Following the fair, there will be a lunch hosted by Ambassador Vilma Martinez. Speaking of a previous fair, Valeria Scuderi, manager of the ambassador’s residence, said, “I have never seen the ambassador’s residence so alive with so many happy people.” Prior to the 2009 fair, NGO representatives attended a session held by a public relations firm on how to sell their organization to prospective funding sources. After the fair, there was a workshop on what makes a productive relationship between companies and the NGOs they support. “The biggest surprise was that, after the first year was

“Many issues faced our group as we began to design the fair,” recalled Gustavo Averbuj, a Chamber member. “What criteria do we use to
At the 2009 fair, NGO representatives introduced themselves to potential funding sources.

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PHOTOGRAPHS: U.S. EMBASSY IN BUENOS AIRES

Choosing Participants

Ambassador Anthony Wayne talks with the host of one of the tables at the fair. Below: Argentine Labor Minister Carlos Tomada addresses chief executives and the media at the 2008 fair.

so successful, we had to turn people away for the second fair since we could not handle the numbers,” said Luis Palma, the public affairs section’s liaison

to NGOs. “This year, several American hotels are interested in donating space so we can invite more NGOs and have more concurrent sessions. The

fair is one of our best public diplomacy tools.” Ninety-seven percent of the participants at last year’s fair rated it “outstanding,” and one said, “I wish to be in others like that one—we will remember this day always.” “Not only did we build support for worthy NGOs, but we also got the best U.S. businesses involved, and we received increased attention from some of the best in the government and congress to support civil society’s heroes,” Ambassador Wayne said.

Rafael Velazquez, CEO of Fundación Pro Humanae Vitae, an Argentine NGO at last year’s fair, thanked the embassy on behalf of the NGO participants. He said the embassy staff and others involved “worked so hard on this event to generate equal access and opportunities—access and opportunities that many times are very difficult for NGOs to show our ideas to business and global leaders. “The chance the embassy has given us to be part of this fair that gathers social leaders, businessmen, academics and diplomats—all those in need and all those who can help— adds great value to Argentine civil society and generates concrete benefits for disadvantaged people,” he said. n The author is the public diplomacy officer at the U.S. Embassy in Buenos Aires.
April 2010

The Bureau of Human Resources has compiled the 2009 Foreign Service Selection Board results by class and cone for generalists and specialists. The resulting tables show promotion numbers and rates, average time in class and average time in service for each competition group. The bureau also compared 2009 promotion rates to 2008 and the most recent five-year average, that for 2004–2008. The overall promotion rate for all eligible Foreign Service employees for 2009 was 24 percent, 1 percent less than in 2008 and 2 percent less than the five-year average rate. The primary factor in determining the number of promotion opportunities to be allocated is service need. The methodology used to make recommendations to the Director General for promotion opportunities is based upon position requirements and the number of estimated personnel. The methodology simulates the movement of employees through the Foreign Service career system over a multi-year period and uses averages, typically three to five years, for closing the gap between positions and personnel, to create a smoothing effect. Were the Department to try to promote exactly the right number of employees every year to fill projected gaps, dramatic year-to-year swings in promotion opportunities would result. This is especially true in many of the specialist groups.

classwide promotion opportunities existed. Because classwide promotions were first implemented for these grades in 2005, there is insufficient data to calculate a five-year average. As most Foreign Service generalists know, the Department still faces an overall deficit at the mid-level—where the management and public diplomacy cones continue to face significant deficits. Although the deficit is shrinking, a recent analysis showed that the 4 percent mid-level deficit that existed in September 2009 is now a 3 percent surplus after factoring in the 2009 promotions. However, HR stills projects a mid-level deficit of 1 percent at the end of the fiscal year due to attrition. While the overall mid-level deficit is declining due to the transition into the mid-ranks of those hired during the Diplomatic Readiness Initiative, the bureau still projects an overall FS02 deficit in the range of 11 percent as of September 2010. Although HR once anticipated the overall mid-level deficit would be entirely eliminated by the end of the 2011 promotion cycle, it now appears the increase in mid-level positions expected under Diplomacy 3.0 will result in a continued mid-level deficit until approximately 2015.

Selection Boards Offer Advice on Improving EER Process
/// By Bill Palmer
Promotion is not a reward for past achievements but a recognition of future potential. For example, hardship service is valued, but especially if it demonstrates potential. That was one of the general points made by last year’s Foreign Service selection boards. Other insights and suggestions for employees being rated, as well as for rating and reviewing officers, included: • To be a valuable management tool, “areas for improvement” should be credible and linked to core competency groups. • Employee performance should be illustrated with specific examples tied to core precepts. • Good managers and leaders set clear and realistic work requirements and goals, provide feedback and recognize outstanding performance with awards. • Rated employees should explain how their next assignment will fit into their career plan. • Review panels should catch errors and inadmissible comments and provide an accountability statement if an employee evaluation report is late. Late and missing EERs are still a problem. Director General Nancy J. Powell stressed that effective performance evaluation is not a one-time event but an integral part of the entire work year. It involves setting clear performance goals, giving and receiving thoughtful counseling, documenting accomplishments and presenting a polished product for the selection board’s review. The author is a writer/editor for State Magazine. continue to ensure that there are predictable opportunities for advancement for all employees as the Department faces the critical challenges of implementing the nation’s foreign policy objectives. n The author is a management analyst in the Bureau of Human Resources.
April 2010

Specialists

Generalists

Overall, promotion rates for eligible Foreign Service generalists slightly increased from 31.4 percent in 2008 to 32.7 percent in 2009. Promotion rates into and within the Senior Foreign Service continue to hold steady from year to year with only a slight increase over the five-year average (15.5 percent in 2009 vs. the five-year average of 14.8 percent). The number of promotions and promotion rates from FS02 to FS01 were 164 and 19.0 percent, respectively, in 2009. This was slightly lower than the figures for 2008 (169 and 19.2 percent) but higher than the five-year average (157 and 17.7 percent). At 45.6 percent, the FS03-to-FS02 promotion rate was higher than the 44.9 percent rate of 2008, representing 54 additional promotion opportunities. However, this rate was lower than the five-year average promotion rate of 48.3 percent. Generalist promotions from FS04 to FS03 increased slightly from 341 in 2008 to 359 in 2009 and were higher than the five-year average of 335 promotions. The 2009 promotion rate increased to 67.2 percent as compared with 63.4 percent in 2008. Classwide promotion numbers and rates decreased in 2009 to 151 and 7 percent, down slightly from 169 and 8 percent, respectively, in 2008 for grades where both functional and

As in previous years, Foreign Service specialist promotions vary by class and group. In 2009, 16 percent of all eligible specialists were promoted—2 percent lower than in 2008 and 4 percent lower than the five-year average. This is due in part to the elimination of staffing gaps for several skill groups at the more senior levels. Promotion numbers for most of the specialist groups were lower in 2009 than in 2008 and the five-year average. The data show that the information technology skill groups combined saw a decrease in promotion numbers from 92 in 2008 to 71 in 2009. This is because a balance currently exists between people and positions at the FP02 and higher grades. Also, separations due to time in class, time in service or reaching mandatory retirement age at these grades are projected to be low for the next several years. Security engineers continue to face a large deficit at the FP02 level. Because of this gap, 87.5 percent of the eligibles for promotion to FP02 were promoted in 2008, and 62.5 percent of the eligibles were promoted this year. The overall promotion rate for all SEOs was 27 percent this year—higher than in 2008 and the five-year average. In an up-or-out system, the mix of large staffing gaps at the middle and senior levels and large cohorts of employees at the entry level provides significant challenges. The Bureau of Human Resources will

Consulate General staff builds a home in Thailand /// By Lindy Santitharangkul

The U.S. Consulate General in Chiang Mai, Thailand, joined a work project endorsed by Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter called Mekong Build 2009, which involved constructing a home in November 2009—and would occasion the post’s first visit by a U.S. president, past or present. Consulate staffers found themselves balancing on roof beams 25 feet in the air and hammering nails, rather than hammering out talking points. They built the house, a Habitat for Humanity project, in five days.

affairs counselor, the consulate general’s nurse and the community liaison office coordinator. The DEA spouse climbed to the top of the house and helped put the roof in place. The economic counselor, meanwhile, shared a special method of filling the right bricks with cement.

Happy Homeowners
Two months later, the consulate volunteers returned to the construction site—where the neighborhood was now filled with the noise of people and playing dogs and the smell of roasted peppers. They came for the dedication of a community center and to see that the homes they’d helped build now had curtains in their windows and welcome mats on the steps. One new homeowner, 56-year-old Guan Matip, said she and her husband were happy to bid farewell to the stagnant-water smells of her old house, which had been built over a polluted canal that, during the rainy season, would overflow, sending water into their house. “I always thought that it would be impossible to have my own cement house in a clean new community—but my dream has come true,” she said. In the end, the construction effort proved to be the biggest and longest team-building exercise the consulate general had ever done. And Habitat for Humanity said House No. 56 was the best- and fastestconstructed of all the 82 houses built as part of its project. n The author is the community liaison office assistant at the U.S. Consulate General in Chiang Mai.

Presidential Effort
With Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter working as part of the Habitat team, the project aimed to build 82 houses in a rural Chiang Mai orchard for people who could not afford decent homes. U.S. Ambassador to Thailand Eric John and his wife Sophia, and Consul General Michael Morrow and his wife Shannon, participated in the groundbreaking in February 2009. Nine months later, the Johns and Carters worked over several days to build one house, and the Morrows worked on another house with their consulate colleagues and four embassy volunteers from Bangkok. More than 30 members of the consulate community joined in the five-day effort to build the sturdy brick structure called House No. 56. During that week, Teerapol Jarusiripot, a maintenance supervisor in the consulate’s general services office, spent no time at his desk and instead did what his team routinely does: make the walls straight, get the roof up and secure the frames. Team members included a Foreign Service National who serves as an administrative associate, the wife of a Drug Enforcement Administration agent, an embassy economics

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PHOTOGRAPHS: LINDY SANTITHARANGKUL

Former President Jimmy Carter and wife Rosalynn stand on either side of House 56’s new owner, at center, surrounded by the construction team. Below: Teerapol Jarusiripot, a maintenance supervisor in General Services, reviews a finished house.

‘A Little Scary’
“The biggest surprise was shooting the M4 on full automatic,” DeLisi said. “It was a little scary.” Then she hopped into a fully armored Humvee and raced it around a closed track. She did the same with a fully armored Lincoln Town Car and Chevrolet Suburban.

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PHOTOGRAPHS: BUREAU OF DIPLOMATIC SECURITY

Raffle winners taste real-world training By Kevin M. Casey

“This is the pickup truck of rifles and firearms,” said Randall Jaquith, holding up an AK-47 and pointing to the dusky black metal of the assault rifle: “It might not be pretty, but it works every time, and you can teach an 8-year-old to clean it and assemble it.” Jaquith, a Bureau of Diplomatic Security senior firearms instructor, was not trying out for the hit History Channel series “Lock ‘N Load with R. Lee Ermey.” He was just giving Office Management Specialist Leija

DeLisi a chance to enjoy her prize as one winner of a raffle to be DS agents for one day. The raffle was held during the kickoff celebration of the Department’s 2009 Combined Federal Campaign. DeLisi had left her desk in the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs to take part in a smorgasbord of DS activities, including an hour at an indoor arms range in Summit Point, W. Va.—which is where the AK-47 entered the picture. She also

The other raffle winners were Human Resources Specialist David Beaupain and Information Technology Specialist Christopher Brown. They got the chance to roleplay as DS special agents because DS wanted “to generate excitement for CFC and wondered if we could offer a taste of the training DS agents go through,” said DS Career Development Officer Christian Rodgers, who arranged the day. To give the winners their special day, DS decided to let them “piggy-back” on the Department’s Foreign Affairs Counterterrorism Course, provided to employees headed to high-threat posts. Since the Department had already paid for that day’s worth of equipment, instructors and racetrack time at the DS Interim Training Facility at Bill Scott Raceway, the “Agent for a Day” experience cost DS nothing, Rodgers said. The winners began their day with a tour of the small campus, crossing a catwalk at the indoor tactical training facility as DS agents below negotiated a maze in a simulated search for terrorists and hostages. They next passed through two mat rooms while DS agents practiced handto-hand combat. Outside, they saw a mock urban area where stacked shipping containers represented office and residential buildings.

Countermeasures Training
After lunch, it was time for the explosives demonstration— where Explosive Countermeasures Unit instructors Mathew Hangsleben and Arthur Meier let Beaupain trigger a car bomb. Then the trio burned rubber, driving the 2.2-mile racetrack at high speed under the guidance of Driver Training Unit chief Maner Lawton, senior driving instructor Martin Burk and driving instructor Bill Parker. “My favorite thing today was doing the drifting, the front- and rear-wheel skids, to know how to control a spin when traction is lost and how to turn into a spin so you don’t lose control or flip the car around,” said

David Beaupain examines a hole made during an explosives demonstration at the DS Interim Training Facility.

Brown. “Those could be real-life situations. And it’s important to know how to handle it if that were to happen.” The winners agreed the day’s most sobering activity was the shoot/don’t shoot exercise on the firing range. With the help of senior firearms instructors Paul Salomon and Matt Jacques, the winners stood before a video wall holding a live weapon and confronted images like those lawenforcement officers face in real life. One video showed a room full of shouting people. Then one pulled a gun and fired. “A moving target changes

everything,” Brown said. DeLisi lowered her voice and looked down: “I shot the wrong guy.” Beaupain managed to shoot the right person, but he was too late. In real life, he would have been killed before he pulled the trigger. “The reaction time that you are allowed is very small,” he said. “That gave me a much greater appreciation of the work done by the men and women in Diplomatic Security.” The hands-on training method impressed Beaupain. “Seeing something on a PowerPoint is not going to prepare you, but being

The author is on the public affairs staff of the Bureau of Diplomatic Security.

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PHOTOGRAPH: BUREAU OF DIPLOMATIC SECURITY

able to react to a situation and being trained to react correctly makes all the difference. I think it’s going to save lives,” he said. “We forget the work that goes into making sure our employees are safe throughout the world.” DS Facilities Manager John Cupp told the trio as they headed homeward: “I hope you learned something today that could possibly save your life and the life of somebody else. I also hope you never have to use any of this.” n

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What’s Hot
New Privacy Course: Identify-Protect-Report
“Protecting Personally Identifiable Information” Online Training FSI, in partnership with the Department’s Privacy Office, has developed a new course, “Protecting Personally Identifiable Information” (PA459). The course will enable employees to: • Identify personally identifiable information. • Apply the rules of behavior for Protecting PII. • tilize the procedures essential to recognizing and reporting actual U or suspected breaches. Breaches can damage the Department’s credibility and diminish the public’s trust in our ability to protect sensitive PII. Loss of an individual’s PII can lead to identity theft and personal financial loss and can erode confidence in the Department of State’s ability to safeguard personal information. This training is critical to understanding the importance of federal privacy mandates. The course will be available online in the FSI LearnCenter for Department of State Foreign Service and Civil Service employees, as well as Foreign Service Nationals who handle PII data.

Education & Training

FSI Web Page
Find everything you need to know about FSI and its training opportunities at http://fsi.state.gov. This site is constantly updated to give you just-in-time information on services such as: • nline catalog: Up-to-the-minute course schedules and O offerings from live classroom training to distance learning. • nline registration system: Submit your training applicaO tion for classroom, distance learning and even external training, using the online registration link found on virtually every course description or the External Training Web page. • raining continua: Road maps to help you effectively plan T your training for the year or beyond. • bout FSI: Get a snapshot view of FSI’s history and enrollA ment statistics. • inks to training resources: View information on specific L countries, language learning and testing and myriad helpful reference materials.

Ask FSI
Looking for information on a specific course, training location or distance learning? Experiencing a problem with registration, accessing a course or technical issue? “Ask FSI” is your answer. Found on the home page of FSI (http://fsi. state.gov), “Ask FSI” allows you to review frequently asked questions or submit your own inquiry. Questions are routed quickly for prompt response.

FasTrac Distance Learning
Learn at your own pace, when and where you want. Most Department of State employees, including personal service contractors and eligible family members, in a constant paid status for at least one year, are eligible. With your FasTrac password, you may access the entire FasTrac catalog of more than 2,500 courses, from home or office. To view the complete FasTrac catalog, visit the FasTrac Web site at http://fsi.state.gov/fastrac. For more information on all of our distance learning opportunities, visit the FSI Web site at http://fsi.state.gov and click on “Distance Learning.” n
April 2010

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The Active Years

Retired FSOs cruise for free as lecturers /// By Ed Warner

A Bon Voyage
To retired Foreign Service officers and specialists, lecturing aboard a cruise ship might seem a heavenly deal: You give a few lectures, often on the region the cruise visits, and in return get a free voyage and, sometimes, a free flight to the point of embarkation. The retired FSOs who’ve done it say lecturing your way across the seas is, in fact, a fun way to keep your mind sharp, meet interesting people and see historical and exotic sights. But, cautioned retired Senior FSO Stephen Buck, don’t lecture if a storm hits after you’ve had a large lunch. Buck said this happened to him during his sole lecture cruise, and he had to excuse himself three times during his lecture. However, he said he hung in there and made his Puritan “finish-what-you-start” ancestors proud while earning considerable applause.

Hala and Steve Buck take a break from shopping at the bazaar in Tripoli, Libya. Right: Suzy and Rob Warne visit the City Hall in Durban, South Africa, while cruising from Cape Town to Mumbai.

‘It’s Competitive’
The potential FSO lecturer should not think cruise lines will swoon on hearing an FSO is ready to offer words of wisdom in exchange for a free voyage. In fact, “It’s hard to get in [to cruise lecturing]; it’s competitive,” said retired FSO Rob Warne, noting that the cruise lines often expect to receive a DVD of sample lectures from applicants. Lecturing is partly entertainment, said Warne, who like Buck spent nearly 30 years with the Department. Those who lecture well are as likely to be professional speakers or actors as retired FSOs, he said. FSOs, though, have an advantage in that they know certain regions well, and their audience often respects the State Department (perhaps because cruise industry data indicate that the typical passengers on these FSOs’ cruises were well-travelled, educated older Americans). For lecture material, Buck, who retired in 2002, relied on his experience at eight posts in the Arab world and as director of the Office of Maghreb (North African) Affairs. He lectured on Libya and Tunisia, and his Lebanese-born wife Hala, a cross-cultural therapist, lectured on Arab culture and women in the Arab world. When the cruise’s 100 or so archaeology buffs went ashore, the Bucks took them to such historic sites as the ancient Roman city of Leptus Magnus. Expertise—in a region and in public speaking—was an asset to Joe Snyder, who during his 30 years with the Department was its official spokesman and later the deputy permanent representative to the United Nations in Vienna. Snyder, an Asia hand who later became director of the Asia Society in Washington, D.C., said he applied to the cruise line, completed a half-hour interview and got a contract almost immediately. His first cruise as a lecturer, in March 2009, was a three-week voyage with his wife, from Osaka, Japan, to Korea, China, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and Singapore. He spoke about those nations during the ship’s days at sea. Of the 630 passengers, he said, 200 to 250 attended, reflecting what he said was a world-savvy audience with more on its mind than shopping in port towns.

Hooked on cruising, Snyder and his wife in October went to Tahiti for a voyage to Australia. His audiences, he said, learned about Aussie sports, history and politics, and the similarities of Americans and Australians—“two peoples divided by a common language.”

Do Research
Warne advises FSO lecturers to do their research. Another of the Department’s solid area experts—he teaches the Korea area studies course at the Foreign Service Institute—Warne said he prepares for any cruise by talking to the Department’s desk officers for the destination nations and going to the Department’s library and the map room. One of the seven lectures Warne will give on a coming cruise will be on the global economy, reflecting his expertise in economics. He retired with the title of minister-counselor to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. He said he expects good attendance during the voyage’s six days on the Indian Ocean. Passengers will come to his lectures, he said, because they’ll have plenty of time to kill. n The author is deputy editor of State Magazine.
April 2010

State Magazine

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Medical Report

PHOTOGRAPH: FOTOLIA

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Medical Report

Dealing with Death
MED Plans Workshops on Grief in the Workplace
/// By Dr. Stan Piotroski and Dr. Vivian Sheliga
Most employees have either lost a loved one or been in a workplace where a co-worker has died or suffered a loss. Now that many people spend more waking hours at work than at home, the impact of such an event on the workplace can be significant. Historically, bereaved employees turned to family members, but now they may seek support from the workplace. When the death is unexpected—a violent act or accident, for example—the impact can be even more significant. The World Health Organization found that providing compassionate workplace policies and support can lead to improved morale, better teamwork, less sick leave, less turnover and more loyalty to the organization. So the Office of Medical Services’ Employee Consultation Service has developed an interactive workshop for employees and supervisors to enhance their skills in managing grief in the workplace. The workshop objectives include understanding the employee’s grieving process in the context of the workplace, effective interventions when an employee suffers a loss and identifying resources for employees and managers. The workshop focuses on employees in the United States and overseas, where resources are typically fewer. Group discussions and analysis of videotaped vignettes are used for skill-building exercises. Each person’s response to a loss is unique. Some may find it difficult to return to work, while others find it helpful to get back into a routine. Common feelings include sadness, anxiety, fear, irritability and anger. People can also experience physical symptoms such as headaches and insomnia, and cognitive symptoms like absentmindedness and forgetfulness. These symptoms can affect the employee’s ability to focus and function. Compassionate gestures toward the bereaved employee do not have to be large and dramatic to have an impact. Let the person know that you care and empathize with his or her loss. Anticipate that there may be tears and sadness. Respect the need for privacy, as there may be times the person would rather be alone. Learn what the person wishes to share with others. Assisting with errands, cooking a meal and caring for children or pets are concrete ways to offer support. The transition back to the workplace from acute personal grief and bereavement can be challenging. We invite you to participate in a workshop and to bring experiences and skills you have used to support employees who experienced a loss. The Employee Consultation Service can tailor a workshop to meet specific agency needs. We hope you can take advantage of one of the workshops to be held in the near future. If interested, contact the Employee Consultation Service at (202) 663-1815. n The authors work for the Employee Consultation Service in the Office of Medical Services.

April 2010

State Magazine

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Appointments

U.S. Ambassador to Costa Rica
Anne Slaughter Andrew of Indiana, a lawyer and business executive, is the new U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Costa Rica. Previously, she was the principal of New Energy Nexus, LLC. Over the past 25 years, she advised companies in her corporate environmental/energy law practice. She co-founded a medical biotech consulting company and is actively engaged with conservation and environmental organizations such as the Sierra Club and The Nature Conservancy.

U.S. Ambassador to Brazil
Thomas A. Shannon Jr. of Virginia, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, class of Career Minister, is the new U.S. Ambassador to the Federative Republic of Brazil. Previously, he was assistant secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs. Before that, he was senior director for Western Hemisphere Affairs at the National Security Council. His postings include the Organization of American States, Caracas, Johannesburg, Brasilia and Guatemala City.

U.S. Ambassador to Hungary
Eleni Tsakopoulos Kounalakis of California, a business executive and political activist, is the new U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Hungary. Previously, she was president of AKT Development Corporation, one of California’s largest land development firms. She and her husband established a chair in Hellenic studies at Georgetown University. She served four times as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention, has been an advocate for interfaith dialogue and is an active outdoorswoman.

U.S. Ambassador to Serbia
Mary Burce Warlick of Virginia, a career member of the Senior Foreign Service, class of Minister-Counselor, is the new U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Serbia. Previously, she was acting deputy assistant secretary of Defense for European and NATO Policy and for Russia, Ukraine and Eurasia Policy. She served as senior director for Russia at the National Security Council and director of the Department’s Office of Russian Affairs. Her postings include Moscow, Bonn, Manila and Dhaka.

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Victoria DeLong, 57, a Foreign Service officer, died Jan. 12 in Port-auPrince, Haiti, during the earthquake there. She was cultural affairs officer at the U.S. Embassy. During her 27-year career, she also served in El Salvador, Costa Rica, Papua New Guinea, Germany, Australia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Democratic Republic of Congo and Mauritius. She loved golf and scuba diving. Family and friends celebrated her life Jan. 30 at a memorial service in Whittier, Calif.

Obituaries

Ronald Keith Large, 73, a retired diplomatic courier, died Jan. 12 of cardiac arrest in Arlington, Va. He lived in Bristow, Va. He served in the Army and with the U.S. Information Agency during the Vietnam War, then joined the State Department as a communications officer and, later, courier. His postings included Rangoon, New Delhi, Dhaka, Vientiane, Jakarta, Santo Domingo, Frankfurt and Bangkok.

Albert P. Toner, a retired Foreign John D. Garner, 69, a retired Foreign
Service officer with the U.S. Information Agency, died Jan. 27 of cancer in Eureka Springs, Ark. He served in the Army before joining USIA in 1963. He was posted to Lagos, Tunis, Dakar, Douala, Bamako, Abidjan, Paris and Geneva. He retired to Eureka Springs in 1994 where he was active with the library and several other local organizations and served as a volunteer firefighter. He loved to read and travel. Service reserve officer, died May 21 of congestive heart failure in Brunswick, Me. After serving in the Army during World War II, he joined the Secretary of State’s Central Secretariat, where he worked on the Marshall Plan. He also worked for the White House, Defense Department, Office of Emergency Preparedness and Commerce Department. After retiring in 1973, he was an editorial consultant for books on international security and economic affairs. He enjoyed European and Maine vacations and collected antiques.

In the event of a death
Questions concerning employee deaths should be directed to the Office of Casualty Assistance at (202) 736-4302. Inquiries concerning deaths of retired employees should be directed to the Office of Retirement at (202) 261-8960.

April 2010

State Magazine

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The Last Word

Aggressive Public Diplomacy in Argentina
Perception doesn’t drive foreign policy, but when data indicated that key ally Argentina’s public approval of the U.S. had fallen behind Cuba and Venezuela, Embassy Buenos Aires decided to take positive and decisive action. As part of the process to rebuild understanding of U.S. policies and values among skeptical Argentineans, the embassy decided to hold a fair to pair important but struggling Argentine nongovernmental organizations with funding sources. Working with the American Chamber of Commerce and local NGO networks, key embassy personnel—including a Foreign Service National from public affairs—invited 95 NGOs from across Argentina to meet and network with potential funding sources. The Chamber brought representatives from 30 U.S. companies represented in Argentina, while local embassies recruited top-tier international and local NGOs and donor agencies. The initial fair in 2008 was so successful that demand outgrew available space in 2009, and the fair has become one of the embassy’s best public diplomacy tools. Raffles usually offer winners something tangible—a house, a car, a cake. The Bureau of Diplomatic Security gave winners of its contest that kicked off the Bureau’s 2009 Combined Federal Campaign a more intangible prize that could last a lifetime—the chance to experience first-hand the life of a DS agent. The three winners from different parts of the Department not only got the satisfaction of helping the campaign; they were also rewarded with a plate full of DS training activities. The winners—an office management specialist, a human resources specialist and an information technology specialist—shot targets with an AK-47 assault rifle, a Colt 9mm submachine gun and M4 rifle, and a SIG P-228 semi-automatic 9mm pistol. They drove fully armored Humvees, Town Cars and Suburbans around a closed track. They stood with “live” weapons before a video screen and confronted images faced by law enforcement officers, including DS agents, in crisis situations. They had milliseconds to decide when—and whom—to shoot. It was sobering, intense and worth every minute, agreed the agents for a day. Our annual report on the environment shows colleagues at posts and offices around the world looking for innovative ways to decrease the Department’s carbon footprint. The Department’s largest electricity user, the Bureau of Information Resource Management, is working on several initiatives to lower its consumption. The Sounding Board has teamed with the Greening Diplomacy Initiative to give employees a focal point for their green proposals. The League of Green Embassies, founded with a handful of members in 2007, has grown to more than 30 embassies dedicated to environmentally friendly practices. And to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Earth Day, the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations is focusing its efforts in 2010 on designing and installing photovoltaic systems. Last but never least, a final salute to our colleagues en route to their final posting: Victoria DeLong; John D. Garner; Ronald Keith Large; and Albert P. Toner. n